Jessie's Blog
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How Drinking with the Buddha Helped Me Survive This Year’s Back-To-School Churn
Image based on Lodro Rinzler's book and designed by Daniel Urban Brown of Lithographs.“Mom!!” rings from every corner of my small world. The couch, the top of the bunk bud, the bathroom, the kitchen table, and via Facetime and relentless texts.
The 10 year old: “We have two book reports. I thought we only had one book report, and I have only read fiction. I need to read a nonfiction. I like fiction. And my backpack is ripped. I found a new backpack on Amazon; would you look at it now?”
The 12 yea…
Links Worth Sharing: 4 Tips for Negotiating a Better Financial Aid Package
Sticker Shock! I hear it every day. My husband and I are living it with two kids in college, every day. And if you have a senior and are comparing offers it may be worth your while to ask the question. There are absolutely no guarantees, however, if you don't ask the question the answer is a resounding, "NO!"
- Don't Storm the Financial Aid Office (These are some of the hardest working folks on campus, so be nice. They get it.)
- For More Need-Based Aid, Be Specific — and Have Back U…
Links Worth Sharing: Not Leadership Material? Good.
Santiago Salvador Ascui Source: NY TimesSubscribing to valuing only one type of college applicant is a disservice to all of us. Do we value only one type of person? And what message are we sending the next generation by perpetuating the everyone-must-be-a-leader ideal? Is this akin to the same vacuous thinking that convinces us that everyone-must-be-a-winner at all times? In this recent article, published in the New York Times, Susan Cain continues a conversation that is decidedly worth having.…
QUOTABLE
When we dip our toes or perhaps a foot and a hand, choosing to not wholly commit the universe responds in kind, partially. Is there a goal that you've been only willing only to dip a toe? Accomplishments, small and great, require a willingness to let go of the uncertainty of outcome and the courage to dive in, headlong, knowing that sometimes the water will be chilly but the swim exhilarating.
Links Worth Sharing: A Call to End the Craziness of College Admissions
A recent piece by Jeffrey Salingo was published by The Washington Post.Everyone's got an opinion on crazy these days; I suspect it has always been this way. However, this piece is worth your time, in as much as Salingo is making the worthy point that what a student chooses to do during his or her undergraduate years, is just as valuable as the name on the sheepskin. We knew this already, but in the midst of scarcity hype, it's good to be reminded.
The ambition to get into the best colleges i…
Let's get started.Links Worth Sharing: You Just Took the PSAT, Now What?
Source: Compass Education GroupThis recent post by Bruce Reed of Compass Education Group, sheds light on the role of the PSAT. I'll admit, I had no clue of this test prep firm, prior to filing my LLC with the state of New Jersey. However, I do like their name (as well as ours).
"A few million high school juniors and sophomores took the PSAT last week. It gave them an early glimpse at the SAT along with some low-stakes first-hand experience with college admission testing in general. While PSAT sc…
Wrestling With Creating an FSA-ID? (If you're applying for financial aid, you'll need one of these.)
NEW this year! You will need to create an FSA_ID to apply for federal financial aid (FAFSA). Even if you don't qualify for need-based financial aid, but are planning to have your student take out an Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, you will need to file a FAFSA. Click here to watch the video.